Canada to USA diary with pics

Ok folks Ive not done one of these for a while and thought some of you may like to see another one, oh and Ive had a new motor since the last diary :smiley:

Day 1
Into work at 11am Sunday ready to head off south to Morrow GA just south of Atlanta.
A few pics for you from around the yard before I leave,
The latest addition to the Flying Eagle heavy haul fleet a new 389 Pete driven by another brit Lee Atkinson

The company show truck with the Swedish Mafia in the background, Christer & Patriks 389s


And the old Mack tipper, was a tractor unit but converted, the sleeper is still in the yard and I think it should be put back on and painted black :sunglasses:

The city truck and a new model Coroardo

Any way enough of all this Ive got some miles to get done so one last pic of mine ready for the off ![](https://sphotos-a.â– â– .fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/554070_10151248856708491_1012284334_n.jpg) So south down to the border at Pembina ND, no problems there not even run through the scanner, down past Grand Forks ND and onto Fargo ND where I split east for Minneapolis. ![](https://sphotos-b.â– â– .fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/542701_10151248857253491_1535952368_n.jpg) Push on down to the Petro truckstop in Clearwater MN for a spot of supper before then getting around the Twin Cities and on down to Black River Falls for the end of my day. 907 kms covered 9hrs driving 11hr shift.

Day 2
Nice 8am start and just over a couple of hrs drive down to Edgerton WI for breakfast, I do like the old cabovers but think Ill stick with mine over the new ones :neutral_face: ![](https://sphotos-b.â– â– .fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/304315_10151248861208491_101546455_n.jpg) Pass one of Big Fruits on the way through IL, ![](https://sphotos-a.â– â– .fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/530782_10151248861403491_688019546_n.jpg) Free truck & trailer wash ![](https://sphotos-b.â– â– .fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/408084_10151248861568491_626223292_n.jpg) ![](https://sphotos-a.â– â– .fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/542847_10151248865248491_549649284_n.jpg) Big cross in Effingham IL. ![](https://sphotos-b.â– â– .fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/560792_10151248867523491_1711049929_n.jpg) 6hrs driving since my last stop sees me down at Mount Vernon IL and time for some walmart shopping, and another new type cabover

Another few hrs form here sees me through into Kentucky and parked at the Pilot in Oak Grove for the night.
1059 km`s 10.75 hrs driving 13hr shift.

Day 3
Another hard day sees me back at it by 9am :laughing: with a big day ahead of me almost 500ks to do :laughing:
Across I 24 to Nashville TN, sadly no time to party there tonight but I can well recomend it to you on a Saturday if your in the area :smiley:
Being shown how to do it old skool style :laughing:


Nashville

Brake check at the top of Monteagle TN, all a little over the top if you ask me :unamused: :laughing:


Push on down through Chattanooga TN no sign of the ChooChoo so I keep going on down to the Water Melon 500, sorry I mean the Atlanta loop :laughing: stopping in at the new blue beacon truck wash tlc for my new ride.


Hell never pull that over Im sure :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

Waste a couple of hrs in the Petro truckstop then head around to my delivery and park on the bay ready for them at 5am :open_mouth:
495km`s 5hrs driving 9hr shift.

Day 4
5am :frowning: :laughing: My full load of warranty claim truck parts is unloaded by 7am

All empty and swept out ready for a load back to Canada

Lookin good if I do say so myself :sunglasses: :smiley:

A call to the office but sadly nothing for me just yet, so around to the truckstop I go with breakfast being the next job :smiley:
Maybe a go in the Jesus bus may help with a back load

Think even the Jesus bus cant help this sorry looking soul :laughing: ![](https://sphotos-b.â– â– .fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/64573_10151248874178491_767225139_n.jpg) A couple of hrs and Im on my way to just east of Atlanta for 2 machines bound for Calgary AB, loaded in no time with customs paperwork sent into the office for them to do there thing with it and Im now bound for Columbus OH which should fill the trailer out :smiley: A few shots running up through Georgia/Tennessee and Kentucky ![](https://sphotos-a.â– â– .fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/395020_10151248874703491_72378122_n.jpg) ![](https://sphotos-a.â– â– .fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/68440_10151248875253491_73716413_n.jpg) ![](https://sphotos-a.â– â– .fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/483143_10151248884398491_463832101_n.jpg) A quick half hour for lunch sees me just scrape into the Flying J at Walton KY for the evening. 753kms 7.75hrs driving 14hr shift.

Day 5
No rush this morning as I cant load untill midday eastern time so a nice 8am start it is :smiley: Up around Cincinnati with no hold ups even for this time of the morning ![](https://sphotos-b.â– â– .fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/318770_10151248888268491_714539259_n.jpg) North East upto Columbus OH really busy now downtown :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: ![](https://sphotos-a.â– â– .fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/536602_10151248890348491_1152041904_n.jpg) Get to my pick up and make a request to the flt driver if hed mind taking my 2 machines for Alberta off then load his stuff first, not a problem hes only too happy to help :slight_smile: The loading bays not one of the most level Ive been on :open_mouth:

3hrs later and Im on my way homeward bound :smiley: Old cabover Pete still earning a crust on heavy haul work ![](https://sphotos-a.â– â– .fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/486229_10151248891843491_1094535058_n.jpg) ![](https://sphotos-a.â– â– .fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/292829_10151248892138491_745408447_n.jpg) Around Indianapolis with not much trouble and into KFC at Lebanon IN with truck parking :smiley: ![](https://sphotos-b.â– â– .fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/74714_10151248892488491_219181505_n.jpg) Upto to Rochelle IL and call it a day in the Petro truckstop. 903kms 9.75hrs driving 13.75hr shift.

Day 6
Back on the road for 8am up through Illinois taking in $5 worth of there toll road system

Through Wisconsin and a nice easy days drive with no dramas and good weather all the way, 5hrs driving sees me into the new Flying J at Roberts WI for a spot of lunch before the The twin cities of St Paul & Minneapolis, the loop around is down to one lane so I opt for straight through the center for a change. ![](https://sphotos-b.â– â– .fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/304425_10151248894038491_1449464699_n.jpg) And on upto Grand Forks ND for the evening. ![](https://sphotos-a.â– â– .fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/65351_10151248895013491_728406810_n.jpg) 1034kms 10.75hrs driving 11.75hr shift.

Day 7
5.30am start gets be upto the border for 7am, and back into the yard for 8.30am where you can see winter is not far off now :frowning: :laughing:

The 2 machines need to be transhipped onto a Calgary bound motor while the rest of my stuff is for Winnipeg on Monday morning
.
212km`s 2.25hrs driving 3.5hr shift.

One last pic, not from this trip but just a good pic me thinks :slight_smile:

Hope this is ok for you all and untill the next time, drive safe :slight_smile:

Absolutely fantastic, can’t think what else to say.

Very good Mr T looking forward to heading to words the sun myself

Great stuff, and great pics! :smiley:

How long have you been driving over there? How long do your trips usually last, and how many days do you get off between trips etc?

Great read mate, keep it up. Look forward to many more!

Brilliant read.

I think I’ve had a hard day when I do 500kms. :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

Ken.

kevchalluk:
Great stuff, and great pics! :smiley:

How long have you been driving over there? How long do your trips usually last, and how many days do you get off between trips etc?

Thanks Chaps,

Ive been out here 3.5yrs now, trips are anything from 5 to 11 days but mostly around 6 to 7 with 2 nights at home, not much diff from what most trampers would do in the UK only here weekends count for nothing and the best milage trips will run over weekends but what goes around comes around as Ive been home now for the past 4 weekends but it`ll soon change :laughing:

Interesting stuff. How hard was it to adjust from UK/Europe to the scale of the US and Canada? Both in terms of mileage and size of the trucks? How much experience do you need before Canadian firms will consider you, and do they sort out the visa process and whatnot?

kevchalluk:
Interesting stuff. How hard was it to adjust from UK/Europe to the scale of the US and Canada? Both in terms of mileage and size of the trucks? How much experience do you need before Canadian firms will consider you, and do they sort out the visa process and whatnot?

Its defo a lot bigger than the UK, Ive never driven in Europe so not the best person to ask :laughing: The milage is not that hard to do really as its very quiet on the roads, there are firms wholl help you with the paperwork side of things but most at a price, and it can all be done yourself

Cracking read :smiley:

A good interesting read with great pics nianiamh .Good to see a fellow Welshman happy in his work.
Cheers Dave.

Great read and pics. :wink:

like it lots looks hard though…

This photo diary hereby receives an offical amphibious seal of approval…QUACK, QUACK!!

absolute quality mate , lovely read !! the pic when you was tipping is your trailer see through ?

That’s great stuff. Wonder how many readers are looking at how to get there after that. Oh well back to night trunking in the 06 MAN.

Living the life :smiley:

How fast can the trucks go over there are they restricted? Also how many hours can you drive/work a day/week. Looks awsome though

NewLad:
How fast can the trucks go over there are they restricted? Also how many hours can you drive/work a day/week. Looks awsome though

Nowadays the trucks are held back to 60-65 mph ,as at long last the doh heads are looking into better fuel economy despite the trucks being as aerodynamic as a brick :unamused: ,the designs are so far behind Europe in that respect it’s laughable.
Canada will let you drive for 13 hours a day , which is by no means difficult or tiring due to the lack of traffic ,although this time of the year road conditions can keep the drive interesting ,down South the hours are cut back a little but still allows 1000 kms per day if all goes to plan ,if you’re motoring as opposed to sitting on a dock waiting to be loaded/tipped.
Two options on the hours of service ,70 hrs over 7 days or 120 over 10 days ,but you are allowed to average it out , sort of .

Great diary as expected Neil ,but deck work suits you more :laughing: :laughing:

Good read that was Driver, no mention of playing Angry Birds for hours though!